‘Not a day of joy’ for Nicky Jacobs supporters after Pc Blakelock murder acquittal

FRIENDS and supporters of Nicky Jacobs reacted with delight in the public gallery as he was cleared of murdering Pc Blakelock – but later said it was “not a day of joy”.

After the jury returned their not guilty verdict, there were shouts of “yeah, yeah” and “brother” as Jacobs broke down in tears.

Community leader Stafford Scott (left) gives a statement to the media as Mark Braithewaite (centre) and Winston Silcott, two of three men who had their 1987 convictions for allegedly murdering police officer Pc Keith Blakelock quashed, listen outside the Old Bailey, after Nicky Jacobs, was today found not guilty.

But Stafford Scott, the co-ordinator of the Tottenham Rights group and one of Mr Jacobs’ most vocal supporters, said the Crown Prosecution Service and Director of Public Prosecutions had questions to answer on why such a “farcical” case came to trial.

Speaking outside the Old Bailey, he told reporters: “It is not a day of joy. Everybody should be able to take the notion of receiving justice as standard.”

He said the sight of Mr Jacobs, a big man, collapse in the dock showed the stress the case had on him.

Referring to the Blakelocks, Mr Scott added: “This must have been terrible for the family. They have been conned by the Metropolitan Police Service who said this would bring justice.”

Winston Silcott, who was found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering Pc Blakelock in 1987 before his conviction was quashed in 1991, said the police had brought the case because they were “bitter about what happened”.

“My conclusion is that they had promised the Blakelock family that they would get justice for him and so they were trying to get anyone they could,” he said.

“Vengeance, that’s what the police were out to get.

“I just hope Nicky Jacobs will be able to rebuild his life after this. This place is called the Central Criminal Court, and that’s what it is - criminal.”

Asked if the Blakelock family would ever get justice, Mr Silcott replied: “Will the family of Cynthia Jarrett ever get justice?”

Mark Braithwaite, another of the so-called Tottenham Three who was in the public gallery for the verdict, said Mr Jacobs would have to live with “stigmatisation” despite being cleared.

“I have lived with the stigmatisation since the Court of Appeal day, even though the Lord Chief Justice turned around and apologised to us, I’m still living with this,” he said.